Childbirth Options

  • Sex in Early Pregnancy and Other Questions

    QUESTION

    Dear Midwife,
    I am about 2 1/2 months pregnant. I was wondering if it is still okay to have sex while you are at this stage of pregnancy? I have another question, too. During labor and delivery, can you have an epidural and still deliver in a tub of water?

  • Please Help

    QUESTION

    Dear Midwife,
    Hi there, I'm am writing to you as I need your help. I am 21 years of age and have a little girl who is 3 and a half. I am currently pregnant with my second baby and am around ten weeks.

  • Locating a Birthing Center

    I'm interested in using a birthing center. How can I find one? What qualification should I look for? What questions should I ask?

  • VBAC (Vaginal Birth After Cesarean Section)

    Partially under the pressure of lawsuits, the cesarean section rate increased from 5% in 1970 to 25% in 1988. Doctors are rarely sued for a poor outcome if they have performed a cesarean section but they are almost always sued when they have not.

  • 10 Questions to Ask About Childbirth

    First, you should learn as much as you can about all your choices. There are many different ways of caring for a mother and her baby during labor and birth.

  • Cord Blood 101: The Essential Basic Knowledge of Cord Blood Science

    During pregnancy, options of 4-D ultrasound, high resolution ultrasound, pre-implantation genetic sampling and placental cord blood stem cell storage are several among many choices that will have to be considered.

  • Stay-at-Home Birth with Jackson

    I have to admit that by my eighth month of pregnancy, I couldn't tell what I dreaded more – remaining hugely pregnant until my due date in mid-July or launching early into labor – an un-medicated, all natural home birth – an experience that I'd signed eagerly up for just eight months before.

  • Five Things About Your Pregnancy & Birth

    I strongly encourage pregnant women to embrace this truly magical time, a time when their own soul allows the entrance of another into this world. The following is a list of the five things I advise every expectant couple to know.

  • A Sign of Our Times: Controlling Nature's Process of Birth

    Despite today's modern techniques, induction of labor still holds considerable risk compared to natural onset of birth. And most inductions are done for reasons simply not supported by sound medical research. So what is the driving force behind this culture of birth-on-demand?

  • Relieving Pain During Labor

    I am sure you have heard the horror stories that a lot of women take delight in telling about the pain of labor. While yes it does hurt, it's for the most wondrous cause. So far I have survived 8 labors and one car delivery and honestly it gets a bit easier each time.

  • What to Expect: Hospital Birth

    Childbirth -- depending on who you ask, is either the most wonderful or the most excruciating experience of a woman's life. Or both. If you're facing childbirth for the first time, you probably have lots of questions and concerns

  • Episiotomy

    An Episiotomy is a surgical incision in the perineum (the area of skin between the vagina and the anus). It is the equivalent to a 2nd degree tear. Episiotomies are said to speed up the birth by up to 20 minutes.

  • Looking Ahead: Preparing to Go to the Hospital

    Even though you can't plan the exact day or time to give birth to your baby, unless of course our doctors and nurses have established a schedule for a Cesarean birth or induction, you can control preparation for the trip to your hospital that will make the journey less stressful.

  • Looking ahead: Your Hospital Stay After Birth

    Along with caring for you and your baby after birth, the hospital staff can answer any questions you may have, help you and your partner get to know your newborn, and build your confidence as your baby's caregivers and parent.

  • Questions to Ask Your Hospital

    If you feel strongly about delivering at one particular hospital, then you will have to select a doctor who is affiliated with that particular institution. The OB/GYN department can provide you with a list of doctors for you to select from.

  • Hypnobirth Tip#4: A Sample Birth Plan

    A sample birth plan based on the preferences of a typical hypno-birthing couple. Yours may vary, but consider the length and format as a guide. 2 pages is the longest it should be, and using bullet points or small paragraphs will help ensure it gets read.

  • Is a Doula for Me?

    The word doula is a Greek word that means "Women's Servant." Women have been serving other women in childbirth for centuries and have proven that this support from another woman has positive effects on the labor process

  • Hypnosis for Childbirth: What Is It and Does It Work?

    Mention labor and delivery to an expectant mom in her last trimester, and chances are good that her heart will begin to race, her mind floods with concern and in some cases, panic.

  • Lamaze Method of Childbirth

    Popularized in the early 1950s by French obstetrician Dr. Ferdinand Lamaze, who discovered the psycho prophylaxis technique on a trip to Russia.

  • Signs of Labor

    Looking for the signs of labor? Read more in this article to find them!

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